Category: Uncategorized
Additional Arrangements Information Session
Delivered by Robin McKenzie, Qualifications Scotland
📅 27 October 2026
⏰ 4:00pm – 5:00pm
📍 Microsoft Teams
This twilight information session will provide essential updates on Additional Arrangements for examinations. The session will cover current policies, procedures and any recent developments to ensure staff are fully informed and compliant.
Who should attend?
- Support for Learning Principal Teachers
- Teachers involved in administering Additional Arrangements
- Senior Leaders with responsibility for Additional Arrangements
- Secondary teachers with an interest in Support for Learning
Outcome:
Participants will gain up-to-date knowledge of Additional Arrangements processes and procedures, helping to ensure consistency and compliance across schools.
Bookings can be made on Business World.
Magma Maths Opportunities
We are delighted to offer a series of professional learning opportunities this term, covering both digital learning in mathematics and important updates on Additional Arrangements procedures.
Magma Maths Professional Learning Sessions
Facilitated by Joe Franck, Magma Maths
Whether you are completely new to Magma Maths or looking to make even greater use of the platform, these short, focused sessions will help you build confidence and maximise impact in the classroom.
Magma Maths: Onboarding
📅 19 October 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 10:45am
This introductory session is designed for teachers who have not yet used Magma Maths. Participants will explore:
- The pupil view, including manipulatives, accessibility features and the AI helper
- The teacher view, including heatmaps, pupil solutions and setting assignments
- Practical classroom applications
Who should attend?
Teachers who are new to Magma Maths and would like to get started confidently.
Outcome:
Participants will leave with a clear understanding of the platform and how it can support learning and teaching in their classrooms.
Magma Maths: Early & First Level
📅 19 October 2026
⏰ 11:00am – 11:25am
A practical session focused on supporting teachers in Early and First Level settings to make the most of Magma Maths.
Who should attend?
P1-P4 teachers currently using or interested in using Magma Maths.
Outcome:
Helpful strategies and classroom tips to support effective implementation with younger learners.
Magma Maths: Deep Dive
📅 19 October 2026
⏰ 2:00pm – 2:30pm
Already familiar with the basics? This session provides a deeper exploration of Magma Maths, including:
- Assignment tabs and advanced features
- Recent updates and enhancements
- Ways to gain greater insight into pupil learning
Who should attend?
Teachers who have been using Magma Maths for several weeks and feel confident with the core functionality.
Outcome:
Increased confidence, flexibility and understanding of the platform’s wider capabilities.
Bookings can be made through Business World.
Everyone has a story: Children affected by parental substance use
| Scottish Drugs Forum
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Everyone has a story: Children affected by parental substance use (1 course over 2 Sessions) | 27/10/2026 – 28/10/2026
(Online). You must attend both days. |
09.15-13.30 | The aim of this online course is to support practitioners to listen and respond effectively and appropriately to children affected by parental substance use. | To Book: Everyone Has a Story – Children Affected by Parental Substance Use (Online borders) – SDF Learning Centre |
*** TRAUMA TRAINING – PLACES AVAILABLE ***
The Integrated Psychological Trauma Steering Group are delighted to invite you to this year’s Trauma Community of Practice, taking place on Thursday 26th November at Tweed Horizons at 9am-4:30pm.
This event offers a valuable opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the Scottish Borders and beyond who share a commitment to creating compassionate, trauma-informed services and communities.
This year’s theme is “Caring for You: Sustaining Ourselves in Trauma-Exposed Work.”
We will explore how staff wellbeing, supportive workplace cultures, effective supervision, and meaningful connections help us to deliver safe, compassionate and trauma-informed care. Together, we will reflect on how organisations can recognise and respond to the impact of trauma-exposed work, ensuring that the wellbeing of the workforce is valued as an essential foundation of trauma-informed practice.
Through presentations, workshops, discussions and practical activities, participants will explore current local and national developments, useful resources, and approaches that promote trauma-informed environments, relationships and services.
The day will include:
- Exploration of the theme “Caring for You” and the role of staff wellbeing in creating trauma-informed workplaces and services.
- Workshops on topics including effective supervision, professional boundaries, building a culture of staff support, and wellbeing check-ins.
- A powerful video and Q&A created by people with lived and living experience of trauma, highlighting the importance of staff support and other good practice principles in creating a trauma-informed environment.
- Opportunities to network with colleagues and connect with organisations offering support, resources and services.
- A chance to experience a range of wellbeing activities, including wild swimming, crafts, boxercise/fitness, storytelling and cookery.
The Community of Practice aims to provide a supportive and psychologically safe space where participants can learn from one another, share experiences and reflect on how trauma-informed principles can be embedded within their own roles, teams and organisations. Lunch and refreshments will be provided!
By attending, participants will gain practical tools and resources, strengthen professional networks, and leave with ideas and actions to enhance trauma-informed and wellbeing-informed practice in their workplace. We welcome anyone with an interest in trauma-informed practice, staff wellbeing, and creating compassionate, supportive services and communities.
To book your space please visit our bookings page here Trauma Community of Practice (2026) or use the link in the poster. Spaces are limited and we are anticipating high demand for this event – please get in touch if spaces are no longer showing on the bookings page and we will add you to our waiting list.
Look forward to seeing you there!
Warm regards,
Integrated Psychological Trauma Steering Group (IPTSG)
Leadership Academy 2026-27
Leadership Academy 2026-27
Are you interested in leadership professional learning?
Please use this form to apply – Leadership Academy Application Form – Fill in form. Please note that HT/Line Manager endorsement is required.
As part of the Leadership Academy offer we have the following programmes starting this session:
Aspiring to Middle Leadership
Middle Leaders Leading Change
Senior Leadership Pathway
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Aspiring to Middle Leadership (Education Scotland Programme facilitated by SBC
The AML programme is accessed online with additional facilitated sessions with SBC
Leading their own learning, participants will:
- increase their knowledge of recent and emerging research around the roles of middle leadership
- enquire into their own strengths and areas for development as an aspiring or new middle leader
- increase their knowledge and understanding of the roles of middle leadership and the skills and abilities required to carry out key aspects of these roles
- increase their knowledge and understanding of an aspect of wellbeing, inclusion, equity or equalities, with a view to leading a change in this area.
The programme starts with four short introductory activities including a self-evaluation activity (‘self-evaluation wheel’) which you can complete through your Reflective Journal. This will act as both a planning tool and a record, with spaces for reflections on your learning. Your Reflective Journal is just for you. If you wish to receive a certificate when you complete the programme, you will need to submit a Learning Summary.
Programme Induction – Friday 25th September– Inspire Learning, Tweedbank
Touchpoint Session – Friday 6th November – Inclusion, Wellbeing & Equalities – Doug Crabbe, Targeted Pupil Support Team
Touchpoint Session – Friday 26th February – Middle Leadership in SBC – How to put your learning into practice
Applying Your Learning – individual practice in school/setting
Sharing Event – May 2027
The introductory session will take you through the programme content, share the research that underpins the programme, and support you to start the process of planning your learning pathway, using the self-evaluation wheel to enquire into and identify your areas of strength and interest and areas for development. We will also explore how we will work as an SBC cohort and access SBC specific leadership support.
You will then undertake individual, self-directed learning, using online self-directed Professional Learning Activities (PLAs), based on your completed self-evaluation wheel.
A set of eight PLAs, each exploring one of the Roles of Middle Leadership identified in the research, is available. You should select two as a minimum. You can expect to spend 2-3 hours on each PLA.
You should then select at least two PLAs from a list based on the Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities themes. You should base your selections on areas of interest, identified learning needs, school or setting improvement plans or an area you are leading on or are likely to lead on in the future. You might also consider any recent professional dialogue with your school leadership or manager, e.g., as part of your Professional Review and Development (PRD), and /or your professional standards, competences or code, e.g., the General Teaching Council (Scotland) (GTCS) Standard for Middle Leadership or the CLD Competent Practitioner Framework.
Remember the importance of applying and integrating what you have learned online into your practice, or the practice of your wider setting. This is why we suggest 8-12 months for programme completion. This timeframe takes in completion of a minimum of four PLAs, time to apply your learning, and to identify any actual or potential impact on you, your learners or your colleagues.
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Middle Leaders Leading Change (Education Scotland – facilitated by Scottish Borders Council)
This programme is suitable for current Middle Leaders.
This programme is structured around four pillars:
- Self-awareness: develop awareness of individual areas of strength / development needs and how this awareness can inform improvements to leadership
- Anti-racism: develop an understanding of identity, privilege and power and how to actively encourage and celebrate diversity
- Leadership of change: develop knowledge, understanding and confidence in the use of different models to lead and scaffold change
- Coaching as a model of practice: enhance awareness and knowledge of coaching approaches for leadership and increase confidence in practising these.
These themes are explored using self-directed professional learning activities (PLAs). There are six discrete PLAs that can be completed in any order to best suit participant needs. This allows participants to dip in and out of different areas of learning during the programme.
MLLC offers opportunities for exploring research and reflecting on each of the four pillars. The learning has been carefully chosen to allow you to draw conclusions that will better equip you in your role of leading change. Although there is no set timeline, as a rough guide each of the PLAs can take between two and four hours with options for further reading. Past participants have tried to set aside time each month during term time to complete one of these PLAs.
Once you have completed the PLAs, you are then encouraged to apply your learning as part of the programme.
This is a flexible online programme consisting of five core self-directed professional learning activities (PLAs) and one optional. To complete the programme, you will undertake all 6 PLAs and submit a template related to your learning from the programme.
- Self-awareness for middle leaders
- Understanding middle leadership
- Change Models
- Using data to lead change
- Engaging others in change
Choice of:
- Curriculum/CIC
- Anti-Racism
- Coaching
Key Dates
Programme Induction – Friday 2nd October – Inspire Learning, Tweedbank – please note change of date
Touchpoint Session – Friday 30th October 2026
Touchpoint Session – Friday 29th January 2027
Applying Your Learning – individual practice in school/setting
Sharing Event – May 2027
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Senior Leadership Pathway (Scottish Borders Council)
This programme is aimed at those in any post/level who aspire to Headship
The programme takes a full academic year to complete
Phase 1 – Values Based Leadership (Columba 1400) – January – April
Phase 2 – Leading an Inclusive School – May – July
Phase 3 – Evidence Based Strategic Leadership – August – October
Phase 4 – Project Based Learning – October – Dec
Training opportunities: Introduction to Borders drug and alcohol services and recovery community
Upcoming online courses provide an opportunity to meet representatives from Borders Addiction Services (BAS), With You, Chimes and Borders in Recovery (BIR). They will share information about the support they provide and answer any questions you might have. The longer 2hr session also provides an overview of drug and alcohol trends and the Borders Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP).
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Borders Alcohol & Drugs Services: Borders Addiction Service, Chimes, We Are With You and Borders in Recovery |
Meet the Borders Drug & Alcohol Services & Recovery Community |
03/12/2026 (Online) |
09.30-10.15 |
Informal 45-minute briefing session to meet the staff from the three drug and alcohol services and Borders in Recovery and hear more about what support they can provide. |
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Borders Alcohol & Drugs Services: Borders Addiction Service, Chimes, We Are With You and Borders in Recovery |
Introduction to Borders Drug & Alcohol Services & Recovery Community |
06/10/2026 (Online) |
14.00-16.00 |
A 2h online course to provide an update on current drug and alcohol trends and support available through the drug & alcohol services and recovery community in Borders. |
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Borders Alcohol and Drugs Services: Borders Addiction Service, Chimes, We Are With You and Borders in Recovery |
Introduction to Borders Drug & Alcohol Services & Recovery Community |
23/02/2027 (Online) |
14.00-16.00 |
A 2hr online course to provide an update on current drug and alcohol trends and support available through the drug & alcohol services and recovery community in Borders. |
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The Centre for Teaching Excellence Newsletter – September 2026
To browse the newsletter click here
SB Learn – Mandatory Training Update
*** 
SB Learn – Mandatory Training Update! ***
Our SBC mandatory training programme is currently under review. As a result of that, we have moved several modules out of the CORE training programme. For the time being, the only module that is mandatory for all staff to complete is the Prevent Refresher. We’ll give a further update on the mandatory training programme in the near future.
AI and Data Literacy
Our hugely popular AI and Data Literacy 4-day courses are kicking off again from September, for their fifth and possibly final year!! (We’re awaiting the decision on our project funding continuing…cross your fingers for us!)
What previous cohorts have said about the course:
- “I’ll struggle to find more enjoyable, worthwhile and welcoming CPD!”
- “To ALL teachers (not just for CS teachers!): This is a really engaging and worthwhile course to attend. I learned a lot – probably the best professional learning course I have been on.”
- “Whether you know anything about data/AI literacy or not, come on this course and you will be amazed! Your mind will be opened to a new way of engaging your pupils across all areas of the curriculum.”
As part of our funding conditions, we have four places reserved for SBC teachers and/or senior leaders (two Primary, two Secondary), so please do take them up or they will be released to other local authorities! This means the course is free to attend (catering included) and we will offer 50% of the cost of getting classroom cover.
The Secondary course dates are:
- Wednesday 16th September 2026
- Thursday 8th October 2026
- Tuesday 3rd November 2026
- Wednesday 2nd December 2026
For details and to apply for the Secondary course visit https://dataschools.education/ai-and-data-literacy-courses-for-secondary-2026/. Teachers in all subject areas welcome!
The Primary course dates are:
- Thursday 24th September 2026
- Wednesday 18th November 2026
- Tuesday 26th January 2027
- Wednesday 17th March 2027
For details and to apply for the Primary course visit https://dataschools.education/ai-and-data-literacy-courses-for-primary-2026-2027/
All sessions will be in-person and held in the Edinburgh Futures Institute, 9am-3pm, though arrangements can be made for virtual attendance on a case by case basis, just get in touch. As we are kicking off soon, please apply as soon as possible if you’re interested! Feel free to reach out to Jasmeen (jasmeen.kanwal@ed.ac.uk) if you have any questions.
